Sports

KU golfer Chris Gilbert takes 9th at Simpson Invite

Erie, Colo.  Kansas University junior Chris Gilbert recorded four birdies and one eagle in the final round of the Mark Simpson Invitational Tuesday to card a 68 and finish ninth in the first men’s golf tournament of the fall season.

“Today I wanted to eliminate the three-putts and shoot a lot lower score on the par-5s,” said Gilbert, who started his round by chipping in from 30 yards away for eagle on the 576-yard, par-5 seventh hole. “The eagle got me started in the right direction. I ended up playing the par-5s at 5-under today, and I only had one three-putt after I had five yesterday. I knew I wasn’t going to solve it completely, but cutting it down was one of my goals for today. That’s what helped me maintain my low score.”

Kansas was able to climb one spot in the team standings on the final day, taking eighth place. KU improved its second-round mark by six strokes in the third round, posting a team score of 286. Three Jayhawks shot their best round of the tournament Tuesday.

“We improved every round, and that’s what you look for,” KU coach Kit Grove said. “Obviously, we would have liked to finish better than eighth, but it was a pretty decent field. We didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot in any round. Especially with a couple guys making their first trip, it was a pretty solid overall performance. Shooting under par as a team today is something we can build on.”

KU will play host to the Kansas Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Alvamar Country Club.